The Shanghai Biopharma Promotion Event was held on 18th November at the Bank of China London Branch, showcasing Shanghai’s cutting-edge research achievements, fostering project cooperation, and strengthening bilateral exchanges in the life sciences sector.
Co-hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the event brought together institutions from China and the UK, as well as leading bio-pharmaceutical companies in the two cities.
The event highlighted Shanghai’s efforts to be a welcoming environment for bio-pharmaceutical companies. These include reducing clinical trial preparation time to within 25 weeks, shortening ethics review to within three weeks, advancing the construction of research-oriented hospitals, and improving mechanisms for clinical results transformation. These initiatives aim to cultivate a more efficient, open, and internationally competitive innovation ecosystem, accelerating the journey of breakthrough discoveries from “laboratory to market.”
According to the event, Shanghai’s bio-pharmaceutical industry was worth RMB 984.7 billion (£105 billion) in 2024.
Zhou Lan, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, reviewed the recently concluded 7th China International Import Expo, noting that global industry giants converged in the bio-pharmaceutical section, reflecting strong confidence in the Chinese market. She expressed hopes for deeper collaboration with London in trade and investment, and extended a warm welcome to more UK enterprises to bring high-quality products, advanced technologies, and specialised services to Shanghai.
During the enterprise exchange session, several bio-pharmaceutical companies shared updates on their global strategies and technological capabilities. Fosun Pharma highlighted its global innovation layout and expanding R&D and commercial network across Shanghai, the United States, and other markets. The company continues to advance international collaboration in antibody/ADC technologies, cell therapies, and high-end diagnostics.
Dr Yin Yinfei, Senior Vice President of the Biology Division and International Business Development at ChemPartner, mentioned that China’s advantages in drug R&D lie in its speed, cost efficiency, and substantial market potential. As an end-to-end CRO providing services from early discovery to IND filing, ChemPartner currently supports more than twenty institutes, biotechnology firms, and multinational pharmaceutical companies in the UK. The company has established a new laboratory in the UK, which has already commenced operations and is scheduled to hold its official opening ceremony early next year.
Matthias Hoss from Simcere Pharmaceutical shared that the company has invested nearly USD 1 billion in R&D over the past five years, with R&D expenditure consistently exceeding 20% of annual revenue. Innovative drugs have become a major pillar of its product portfolio. Supported by innovation centres in Shanghai, Nanjing, Beijing, and Boston, the company is accelerating global collaboration, with multiple innovative products moving rapidly from licensing to approval in China.
The promotion event also demonstrated the latest achievements of Shanghai’s bio-pharmaceutical sector in global expansion and technological innovation, while providing a new platform for China-UK cooperation in life sciences. As more collaborative opportunities emerge between the two cities, Shanghai and London will deepen exchanges in drug R&D, clinical trials, technology transfer, and industrial investment, contributing to the high-quality development of the global life sciences industry.
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